AUTUMN EQUINOX 2018

Monday, September 17th, 2018

Well hello FALL! all things fall are in full swing now. Break out the leggings, pull out the comfy sweaters, get all the tea, eat and drink everything pumpkin and start hunkering down for the season. Saturday, September 22, 2018 is the official first day of fall but did you know that at 9:54 PM EST it marks the official start of Autumn Equinox ?

Today I want to share with you 8 ways to tune into the Autumn Equinox so that you can use this seasonal shift, a natural cycle in nature to prepare your mind and start actualizing fulfillment of you dreams. I know it sounds intense but if we tune into the power of nature, the ebb and flow of the seasons, we are more able to see our own cycles and shift our own thoughts, patterns and plans towards something more fulfilling.

So hold onto your toque I’m going to teach you about the scientific, astrological and celestial aspects of this time of year, as well as, some ceremony and rituals you may like to practice during this transition. There is more to the Equinox than meets the eye.

8 Ways to Tune into the Autumn Equinox

What is the Autumn Equinox?

The Autumn Equinox happens the moment the sun crosses the celestial equator, which is an imaginary line in the sky that corresponds to Earth’s equator. Every year this occurs on September 22, 23, or 24 in the northern hemisphere. From hereon, nights are longer than days and days continue to get shorter until December, when the light will begin its slow climb back to long summer days.

Why is it called Equinox?

The word “Equinox” comes from the Latin words “equi” meaning “equal” and “nox” meaning “night.” This implies that there will be equal amounts of daylight and darkness.

What sign is the sun entering?

Autumn Equinox is marked by the Sun going into the astrological sign Libra. The Sun is waning (in the Northern Hemisphere), but this begins the season of reaching out. The Sun into Libra motivates us to build bridges, create a balance of give and take. It’s ideal for sharing your bounty with a neighbor, to make that connection, or attend community festivities. Libra is a time for harmonizing with the significant people in our lives—from business partners to friends we’ve lost touch with over the crazy-busy summer! It’s time for slow food dinner parties with kindred spirits, and new friends.

What about the Full Moon?

The Full Moon on September 24, 2018 is called the Harvest Moon and often appears red in color. This full moon is astronomically special because the time between one moonrise to the next becomes shorter around this time. Full moons are times of illumination, letting go, revelations and a time for healing. The Harvest Moon will be entering the astrological sign of Pisces and is deeply in tune with our emotional experiences. This can bring us in touch with everything unconscious so that we can overcome self-imposed limitations. Key flavors of this full moon are creativity, inspiration, intuition and love of change.

I have heard the name Mabon used for the Autumn Equinox . What does that mean?

The name Mabon comes from a Welsh hero who’s name means “son of the mother.” The legend claims that Mabon was stolen from his mother as an infant and held captive in the underworld. He was ultimately rescued and was considered the oldest living human and did not age while held captive in the land of the dead. My interpretation of this relates to the harvest of the year. Being sent to the underworld is like dying, and Fall is when all of nature is slowly decaying and dying. But the resurrection of Mabon is attune to the harvest, fields are emptied and barns are filled. Its a flurry of activity with preparations being made, tasks being completed and success measured.

Celestial Event: The Summer Triangle

The Summer Triangle is not a constellation. It’s three bright stars in three different constellations. These stars are Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp, Deneb in the constellation Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in the constellation Aquila the Eagle. These stars are so bright you can even see them in light-drenched urban areas. The brilliant grouping of three can be identified with the goddess as three is her sacred number. I would encourage you to look into the rich mythology of the 3 constellations that create this amazing event.

Ceremony and Ritual

Autumn Equinox is a time to reflect and pay homage to Demeter and Dionysus, the goddess of the earth and the god of the vine. Demeter was a goddess of earth and harvest, her greatest gifts to mankind was corn and the knowledge of agricultural techniques. Dionysus is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking and wine, of fertility, ritual madness, religious ecstasy and theatre. I suggest adding gifts of the land like corn, bread, bowl of grain, small gourds, dried herbs or wine to your alter and create ceremony around accepting bounty in your life. Meditating on your successes and gains of the year, giving thanks fo all that you have received and allow yourself to mourn the things that are not meant to be.

Practical Craft

When it comes to celebrating the Autumn Equinox , using your creative abilities and crafting can be a lovely active meditation. I suggest you weave a cornucopia. Cornucopia’s are a sign of fertility and is the perfect symbol of the harvest season. The cornucopia can then be displayed as a centerpiece or on your harvest alter.

What you will need

Instructions

Tie the twine together at one end using raffia or yarn and then braid them together. Bring the ends together to form a loop and tie together

now make the frame of the cornucopia by wedging all the twigs through the center of the braid. Make sure 1 inch pushes through the other side. The twigs should be equal distance around the braid.

bend the 1 inch ends over into a right angle and weave them back into the braid creating a thicker rim. Gather the long ends into a point and tie them together with raffia or yarn. You can adjust here to get a horn shape or leave it as a cone.

Secure the frame by winding twine or yarn in thigh circles completely around the braid. Once completed hid the end by tucking into the rim.

Now start near the rim with a long length of raffia and wind it tightly around the rim of the twigs, in a complete circle, weaving back and forth through the twigs. Move onto the next round making sure the weaving is opposite.

Continue weaving until you reach the tip of the cone and wrap the raffia in a complete circle around the tip making a loop. Thread the end of the raffia through the loop and pull tight. Cut the final end to about 1/4 inch and tuck inside the weave.

Will you use any of these ideas to help you sync up with the Autumn Equinox and the season change? How do you think doing this could impact your life? Let me know in the comments below.

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Alicia

Wife & Mama to a blended family of 3 boys, down to earth & easygoing. Perpetually working towards a holistic lifestyle, living my life like a spiritual gangster and all the while creating balanced chaos.